If you are on Instagram, it is most likely that you have seen her portraying a typical Indian aunty at kirtan, a wedding guest, a sibling or a beauty parlour owner. Her videos are Instagram’s most relatable comedy sketches. Today, Dharna Durga is being praised for her performance in Netflix’s Maa Behen, also starring Madhuri Dixit, and Triptii Dimri. However, her journey to the screen was far from being easy. (Image: Instgram)
Dharna’s creative journey began while she was studying at Delhi University. At the university, she explored different extracurricular activities before finding her true interest in theatre. Speaking to Hindustan Times earlier, Dharna Durga shared that she initially considered joining a dance society but eventually chose theatre because it allowed her to sing, dance and act all at once. It was during those years that she realised acting was something she genuinely loved. (Image: Instagram)
Life took unexpected turn when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted normal life and put activities on hold. Speaking to SheThePeople, the influencer turned actress revealed that the second wave of COVID-19 changed everything for her family to contract the virus. The infection eventually spread to everyone at home. While rest of the family recovered, her father did not survive. (Image: Instagram)
She explained that while her sisters were working, they had already moved into a different phase of their lives. One was married, while the other was preparing for marriage. Suddenly, the family found itself facing an uncertain future. (Image: Instagram)
Following her father’s death, Dharna joined the family business and began working alongside her mother. She shared that the decision came naturally because the family needed support. She accompanied her mother to the office evryday and helped mange operations while they navigated the emotional aftermath of their loss. (Image: Instagram)
Though Dharna begun experimenting with content creation before her father’s death, making comedy videos became much harder. She said that comedy requires a certain emotional state and she had always created video in a fun and spontaneous way, returning to that mindset while grieving felt nearly impossible. For a period, she stopped posting altogether and focused entirely on office work. (Image: Instagram)
Dharna later admitted that although she was committed to helping her family, she felt as though a part of her creative self was missing. Gradually, as she became more comfortable balancing work responsibilities, she started creating content again. After returning home from the office, she would upload one or two videos every week to stay connected to her passion. (Image: Instagram)
Her content soon found audience. During the pandemic, she bagan posting character driven sketches inspired by people she observed in everyday life. Years after posting reels, Dharna has successfully transitioned from content creator to actor. She is currently receiving praise for her role in Maa Behen. The Netflix film, which premiered on June 4, also features an ensemble cast including Madhuri Dixit, Triptii Dimri, Ravi Kishan, Geetanjali Kilkarni, and Arunoday Singh. (Image: Instagram)
